Fates Dawn
by Shattered Silence
Summary: Do we choose our fate, or is it thrust upon us?" Sky, an Abra, is finding himself asking that question a lot lately.
1. Prologue

A/N: Before we begin, I would like to thank two people: Shiguya Retomasi my beta and WiseAbsol, for all the encouragement, patience and advice. I could never have got this far without you guys.

Disclaimer: Pokémon is the property of 4Kids. All Original Characters belong to me.

Prologue:

The old man slowly walked into the clearing, the thick underbrush giving way to short grass as he pushed through the last bushes. Standing in the centre of the clearing was a stone shrine, half covered in moss. A deep sense of calm surrounded the place, as if it were some hallowed ground, or the site of an ancient and long forgotten temple. The few sun beams breaking through the tree cover formed columns of light, illuminating dust and butterflies in their descent to the forest floor.

The old man straitened, before letting out a long sigh, taking in the vista before him. This was not the first time he had visited this place, but it still affected him as it had when he had first caught sight of it, those many years ago. It had become a ritual for him to visit this clearing and the shrine contained within, and yet another year had passed, bringing him back here. The place was timeless: its appearance unmarred by the passage of time. It seemed now as it had always had; which was fitting.

As began to walk across the clearing, he noticed that the forest was very still, as if the native Pokémon revered this site. A small hint of a breeze rustled the leaves of the tall pines surrounding the glade, the noise sounding hushed, murmured even, as if the very trees held a deep respect for the place. _Which is close to the truth, if you think about it,_ the man thought to himself_._

The shrine at the centre of the clearing was simple: just a few cut stones placed together, forming a structure of sorts. The weather had already begun its work, the edges smoothed out by many years of wind and rain lashing it. Moss had climbed up over the central face, and this was where the old man stooped to look at.

Running one hand gently along the rock, he brushed the moss from it, revealing the words concealed beneath. The symbols had been carved into the rock: an intricate series of swirls and lines, which would be completely illegible to anyone but a small few. Fortunately for the man, he was one of those few who could read the ancient script.

With a sigh, the man stood up once more, the old words running through his mind. He had read them a thousand times; indeed, he had been there when they were first inscribed. They were simple words, just a few things thrown together in remembrance of someone, and yet: they were more. They helped serve as a reminder to what had happened all those long years ago. And though the passage of time sort to blur, to cover memories in its soft haze, as long as this place was here, he would never truly forget.

It was as he was thinking on this that a noise from behind altered him, which he slowly turned to look at. In the gloom of the forest, he could just make out the small form of some sort of creature. The most striking feature from what he could see were the eyes: the crystal blue depths seeming to contain wisdom beyond measure.

Sitting down on his haunches, the man beckoned slowly to the creature, trying not to startle it. "Come on out little one. Don't worry, I won't hurt you." He said softly, trying to make his voice as reassuring as possible.

As the creature slowly emerged, he got his first good look at it. It had a long slender body, covered in a dark brown fur. As it stepped into one of the beams of light, its head was illuminated. It had a small head, with long pointed ears. Its face wore an inquisitive look, as if it wasn't worried at all by the presence of a human, but was more curious as to what he was. The creature, known as a Furret, came to stop a few meters away from the man. There, it sat down, cocking its head to one side like a cat; regarding the man with a look of interest.

"Ahh, my inquisitive little friend, what brings you here?" He said, a calm smile on his face.

"What's written on that stone?" The creature replied, its voice high and light, the sound of a young creature.

With a small smile, the man turned around to regard the shrine once again, appearing undisturbed that a random Pokémon could speak fluent English.

"The stone? It bears an old inscription, written in an ancient language long since forgotten. In our language it reads:

"_Actions are the seed of fate; deeds grow into destiny."_

It loses quite a lot in the translation, but that is close to what it says."

The creature sat there for a while, as if it was pondering what it had just heard. It then looked at him again, and asked a simple "Why?" _The answer of a child indeed._

"Why? Well, that is a long tale; too long for now."

"Ooh a story! I love stories!" The creature replied, showing great enthusiasm. It leapt to its feet, running over to the human, before lying down near his feet, its young face gazing eagerly up at him. "Is it a good story?"

"One of the best. But are you sure you want to hear it? It is long and dark, and not without moments of great pain." He replied, settling down to sit cross legged on the ground, his back leaning against the shrine.

"Yes!" It replied, without hesitation.

"Well then before I begin, let me ask you a question: what is in a name? I don't want you to answer, but to just think on that, for it is a part of the story to come."

The Furret stared at him, looking confused, which elected a chuckle from the man. Patting the ground beside him, the creature moved towards him, where he picked it up and placed it in his lap: running his fingers through its long fur as it settled in place. The creature finally stopped squirming, lying on its back to look up at the man above him. He began to gently rub its belly, and as the creature sighed in pleasure, he began his tale.

"This story takes place a long time ago: way back in what has become known as the age of darkness. The Great War had just been fought, and many deaths had arisen from that tragedy, though that is a story for another time. Off in the darkness, a single Pokémon begins to stir from its millennia long slumber; thoughts of unease running through its still sleep clogged mind, for it knew the world that it would return to. The world was not what it had once been, and he now felt alienated from it. There was one Pokémon still that he would have liked to see once again, but alas, she had become lost in the darkness that seemed to pervade everything that his senses could touch. So, he stirred in fretful sleep, as the time of his awakening was once more approaching. But this story is not about him, nor the one who was flitting uneasily through a darkened forest, trying her best to remain hidden, her thoughts as black as her surroundings. No: this story is about someone else altogether..."


	2. Chapter 1

**Fates Dawn**

A fan-fiction by Shattered Silence

**Fate **- **Noun **(_plural_ **fates**)

The cause, force, principle, or divine will that predetermines events.

The effect, consequence, outcome, or inevitable events predetermined by this cause.

Destiny (perhaps connotes death, ruin, misfortune, etc.).

**Dawn - Noun**(_plural_ **dawns**)

The morning twilight period immediately before sunrise.

The rising of the sun.

The beginning.

**Chapter One:**

The force of the blow sent me to my knees, shattering my concentration while I gasped for breath as the air went whooshing out of my lungs. All thoughts of teleportation gone, I struggled to push myself back onto my feet, as my assailant came back for another blow, this one catching me on my chest and throwing me onto my back. I couldn't suppress a cry of pain as my body slammed into the hard packed earth. I fought back a wave of nausea as my tail bent back at an impossible angle, before a sickening crack filled the air; pain beyond anything I had ever felt before flooding through me. Blinking through the tears and dust, I tried to discern the location of my attacker, but with the sun high in the sky, I was blinded.

Then, a shadow covered me, and I tried to curl up, desperately trying to shield my body in some way from the merciless assault. I felt blows rain down, cruelly pummelling my battered body, and all I could do was endure and somehow survive. I couldn't stop myself crying out with each hit as I felt his fists slam into me, a scream being torn loose as a foot slammed down, snapping my fractured tail. I felt my grip on reality slipping, the pain in my body fading to a dull ache as fog covered my mind, darkness eating away at the edges of my vision. As my mind slipped into the comfortable warmth of unconsciousness, I heard a noise from behind me.

"Enough. This one is useless" A voice cried out, bringing my torture to an end.

A rush of cold water shook me from my daze, as a bucket was emptied over me. Spluttering, I tried to push myself up, my hands scrabbling for purchase in the soil. I opened my eyes to gaze blearily around, finding to my dismay that one eye was swollen shut.

I was lying in the dirt, in the centre of a crudely constructed ring. The Machop, my assailant, was brushing the dirt of his arms, fixing me with a look of utter contempt. I didn't even need to read his mind to know what he was thinking, the way he was cracking his hands while glaring at me spoke volumes. Then, he eagerly glanced back at the human, as if asking for another round with me. However, the human was already leaving, so he just growled and walked off, giving me a final kick as he passed.

Somehow, I managed to push myself back up onto my feet, where I stood groggily, waiting for the world to stop spinning. The level of savagery shown by the Machop didn't surprise me in the least. In this Celebi forsaken hell-hole, you do what you have to to survive. You have to be the strongest, the fastest, the _meanest_ to somehow make yourself useful to them. So what if you leave a trail of battered and broken Pokemon in your wake? It's ether you or them. Still... it was that look in his eyes, the way they lit up with the prospect of new blood, the way he grunted in ecstasy with each hit, the way that he enjoyed every inch of pain he caused which made me shiver. He actually _liked_ what he was doing here, being the currently favoured torturer of that human. Which makes him just as bad, if not something worse.

Still, it was humiliating to have been so thoroughly beaten by a mere fighting type. Not that I had much of an image left by now. I'm sure the news that they had found one of the elusive Abras would have given most of the fighters pause for thought, but one look at me and they knew I was useless.

Useless: how I hate that word! And yet, it fits me all too well.

My name is Skæbne, a rather grandiose name, but not unusual for my race. In my people's ancient tongue, it means "fate", yet nothing could be further from the truth. See, my people believe that you name someone for what you believe they will become. Therein lies the problem: there is nothing special about me at all. I'm just an Abra. Fate is the name you give to the future leader, not to the 5th son of a family with no particular standing in the clan. And especially not to one who then runs away.

So far, I've managed to survive with quick wits and even quicker feet, but since I've never been particularly good at controlling my inherent psychic abilities, that was only going to work so many times.

It certainly didn't work when _they_ found me.

I can't remember exactly what happened; only, it was night, and I was in a forest... somewhere. I had just woken up from the old nightmare, and as I lay there covered in sweat, I heard noises in the forest, noises all around me. Voices, shouting, howls... and then growls all around me.

Fear gripped me when I realised what those growls meant: Mightyena. Three of them, surrounding me on all sides, and there I was, pressed up against the base of the tree in terror. _No, not now,_ I thought,_ not when I'm so weak. Not like this, alone in a darkened forest. There's no way I could even take on one of them, three would just slaughter me. And from the sounds in the night, they aren't alone. _

They attacked as one, which was the only reason I survived. As they closed in, they ran into each other, obviously unaccustomed to fighting as a team. And, when they had reached me, I was gone, almost flying up the tree trunk in my haste.

I reached the top branch and flung myself for the closest tree, hoping against hope that they didn't pick where I was going. I only got about 10 meters before something hit me hard in the back, and I lost my footing, plummeting to the ground, to crash into the ground. Pain flared up in my body, but I ignored it: pain would only get me killed. The Mightyena were approaching, and by the snarling, they were really angry now.

Somehow, I managed to force myself to get to my feet, and I ran as fast as I could. I could hear them right behind me, literally biting at my ankles. But fear is a great motivator, and I found strength that I never knew I had. Slowly, I pulled away from them, heart pounding from the effort, lungs burning as I drew in air. I was in full panic mode by this stage, my thoughts only on getting as far away from this place as possible.

I didn't count on there being a fourth Mightyena.

I caught a glimpse of blurred purple in the corner of my vision, before something slammed hard into me, crash tackling me into the ground. The force of the collision sent me flying backwards, were I lay sprawled on the ground in a crumpled heap. Luckily, the impact hadn't broken anything, so I managed to push myself unsteadily back to my feet.

The Mightyena were all around me, snarling as they circled. _This really isn't good: four of them. What did I do to deserve this?_ I brought my arms up into a defensive guard,_ fat lot of good that will do me,_ as I gazed wearily around, looking for a sign of who was going to attack.

A sudden weight on my back, as the one behind me leapt onto me, and I was dragged screaming down to the ground. Suddenly, the Mightyena were all over me: pain flaring in my shoulder as I felt razor sharp teeth tear into me. Another pair seized my tail, and I involuntary arched my back in pain as they yanked hard, bearing my throat in the process.

I felt hot breath, and knew that it was all over. _Being torn apart by a pack of Mightyena... what a way to go. A fitting end for my life really._

Eyes squeezed shut, I waited for the momentary burst of pain, but it never came. Instead, a harsh cry rang out, and the Mightyena ceased there savaging of my body. A Sneasel stepped into view from the shadows of the trees, and the hounds gave ground grudgingly before him.

His eyes travelled over me, as if he was gauging my potential, and I had to fight a shiver as I felt his gaze. It was as if he was radiating evil, and this was more than just him being a dark type. The glint in his eyes, the way he held his mouth slightly open, baring his teeth in a grimace, the way his paws clenched and unclenched as he gazed at me... This was a merciless killer.

"Stand" he snarled at me, his voice as icy as his glare.

Suppressing another shudder, I forced myself up, wincing as my legs protested the action, blood streaming down my side from the wound in my shoulder. I couldn't stop myself from shaking as I stood before his gaze, though if that was from fear, or from exhaustion, I couldn't tell.

The Sneasel moved until he was standing right in front of me, close enough for me to smell his breath; his large eyes narrowing until only the blood red pupils were visible. By Celebi, it was terrifying. It was all I could do to stop myself from quivering as I felt his gaze travel over my body once more.

"You are now the property of Master Valcarus, and are his to do with what he sees fit. You try and resist at all, and I will personally break every bone in both your legs and drag you to him. Try and escape, and I will let the Mightyena continue what they started" he said with a snarl. The Mightyena began growling with his last words, their eyes coming alive with the promise of slaughter. Gulping, I managed a quick nod, visibly shaking at his words.

With a hollow laugh, he spun around and walked away, leaving me surrounded by the wild dogs.

"Umm..." I glanced nervously around, as the Mightyena turned to face me again, the growling growing louder and deeper.

"If you want to live, I suggest you get your yellow ass over here, right now." The Sneasel was looking at me again, this time with in dark amusement.

It took all of my courage to walk past those dogs, coming within mere centimetres of the jaws of one of them as I stepped between them. My heart was pounding in my chest, as if it were about to break free in any moment. I held my head up rigidly, forcing myself to look at nothing but the place where the Sneasel stood. I felt my breath catch, as the one closet to me turned as I walked past, but he just glared at me.

Then, I was through, with relief flooding through me as I released the breath I didn't even realise I was holding. The Sneasel just snorted, looking slightly disappointed at my coming through unscarred. He began walking, and I hurried to catch up with him, the Mightyena fanning out to surround us, but thankfully, at a reasonable distance.

"So, who are you, and who is this Master Valcarus?" I asked, once I had caught up with him.

His only response was to punch me in the face, the force of the blow sending me to the ground. _Celebi, I didn't need any more of that. My body is already in a bad shape; I'm gonna be sore for a week. _

"Don't you ever try and talk to me _slave_," he said, spitting in my direction. Pushing myself back to my feet, I glared at him, clutching the side of my face where the blow had landed. However, I was smart enough to know to not respond, so I bit back my retort. _If I ever get out of this, as Celebi is my witness, I will make you pay for that. But... that was one hell of a blow. He's defiantly a strong fighter._

The rest of the trek was made in silence, except for the occasional growl from the Mightyena around us. It gave me a lot of time to think about my current predicament, though no solutions to it came to mind. I was surrounded by dark types, so that put teleportation off the menu, though as tired as I was now, I probably couldn't have managed it anyway. Running was impossible when they were all faster than me. _That damned Sneasel would nail me if I tried, and I don't practically relish the thought of becoming some new chew toy for a bunch of mindless dogs._

We walked on through the night, on and on and on... My legs were shaking, mostly from exhaustion, but I won't deny that it was from fear as well. The punishment that I had put them through before was beginning to show, as I felt what strength I had left slowly leach away. The wound on my shoulder had stopped bleeding a while ago, but it still ached just as much. Soon, I was staggering on my feet. _I don't think I'm gonna make it much further_ I thought to myself.

Just when I was going to plead with the Sneasel for a rest, I caught a glimpse of a light up ahead in the forest. _Please let that be the place we are going to. I don't care how bad it is, I need to rest._

I managed to lurch my way towards the light, pushing through the last of the trees, where I stopped, gaping at the sight ahead of me.

In the flickering light of the fire, it looked like a scene from a nightmare. The humans (as it was obviously the case) had hacked a rough clearing from the forest, fallen tree trunks pilled haphazardly along one side, forming a wall. Beside this, a long row of cages stretched off into the night, about 30 from what I could see. Some were empty, but most were full; the occupants hazy shadows in the dim light.

A dirt ring had been stamped out near the fire: dark stains marring the bare earth. A few humans sat lounging around in cheap camp chairs, warming themselves by the fire. A pair of Mightyena grappled in the dirt at their feet, fighting over a long bone. A Houndour watched on, seemingly indifferent to the squabbles beside him, his head perked, eyes glinting in the fire light, as he surveyed the camp.

A kick to the back sent me to my knees, shaking me from my stupor. The Sneasel growled at me to get up, and I followed him as he led me towards the cages. The Mightyena left, giving me one last snarl, to return to their masters over by the fire.

We trudged past the cages in silence, the faint brushing of our feet over the ground almost masking the soft whimpering of the cage's occupants. Then, we stopped, and my captor produced a large rusty metal key. Thrusting it into the lock, he opened it with a dull click, pulling open the door, and pushing me inside. I landed in a heap on the cage floor, the ground feeling surprisingly soft. With a clang, the door swung shut, as he locked it once more.

And then he just stood there, almost as if he was going to say something. His eyes narrowed, his mouth opening, but he said nothing, instead just turning and stalking away. _What was that about?_

I curled up on the cage floor, shivering in sudden cold, and smothering fear. I was tired.... soo tired. The exertion of night so far leaving me feeling completely exhausted. As my eyes started to get used to the oppressive gloom, I looked around my cage. It looked like a simple wooden frame, yet something else was in woven in amongst the walls.

It was then that I noticed the sweet stench of decay, and realised what I was looking at.

With a wave of revulsion, I realised that the walls were partly made of bone: random pieces thrown together between the slats to make an intricate lattice. Dried blood covered half of them, some with small chunks of meat still attached. I felt like throwing up.

I realised why the floor felt so soft... the bare dirt was covered in filthy pelts of fur, stained with Celebi knows what. With another shiver, I saw that I recognised the markings on the fur; the black and white: they were Mightyena.

I knew what I was in, though what sort of sadistic mind had constructed it, even dreamt it up was beyond imagining. This was a cage designed for one purpose, and one purpose alone: housing a psychic type. The walls and floor had been covered in the very blood and flesh of dark types, relying on the deadening effect dark types have oven psychic abilities. It was... evil...

I felt a wave of nausea at the thought, and collapsed onto my knees, vomiting what was left in my stomach onto the cage floor, gagging at the acidic taste of bile in my mouth.

_By Celebi, who are these people? _

That long night felt like it would last forever, but finally the dawn came: the faint glimmers of light stabbing through the trees rousing me from my misery. I hadn't slept a wink, but that wasn't surprising. I barely sleep at all in the best of times, add in being thrown into a cage in Celebi-only-knows where, and it was completely out of the question.

In the building twilight I got my first proper look at my surroundings, ignoring the grisly details of my own cage. The cages around me were all crudely made: rough slats of wood thrust together, bound with rope and nails; obviously they weren't designed to last. Only mine had been 'modified' in such a sickening way.

I then noticed the deep claw marks scratched deeply into the walls of mine. Some poor creature had frantically fought to free himself from this hellish prison, gouging into the wood and bone in a desperate attempt to escape. I could see it: being thrown into a cage that was literally made out of darkness, the panic overtaking him as his psychic abilities were smothered in that chilling aura; the fear setting in as he realised that he was going to be left in there as the long night began. Sometime through the night it had become too much, his mind snapping as he desperately tried to get out.

I knew all this, because in his final moments he had let out a despairing cry, one final burst of psychic energy that overcome the darkness and embedded itself into the wood of the cage. That someone could do that to anyone... My mind recoiled at the thought of how evil the individual who had caused that was.

"Get up", a voice behind me said with a growl, causing me to jump in fright, my body protesting the sudden movement. I still ached from the punishment of the day before, and the night hadn't done anything to change that

I turned to see the same Sneasel from the night before once more glaring at me, now with a look of dark amusement glittering in his eyes. Without another word, he produced the key for the cage and unlocked it. I briefly contemplated trying to escape as the door swung open, but I realised how futile the gesture would be. _I doubt I would get further than a few meters before he got me, and I can't see him passing up an opportunity to maim me._

"Now we get to see what you are made of" he said. _Huh? What I'm made of?_ Keeping true to what he told me the night before, I didn't reply. With a grunt, he nodded at my silence, and continued.

"This camp won't be here tonight: you ether prove yourself as being valuable to us, or you won't live to see the sunset. Now follow me". With that, he turned around a walked briskly towards the centre of the camp.

I could feel the stares of the cage's occupants as I walked. Some looked at me with hatred in their eyes, others regarding me as if gauging my potential. Then there were those who didn't even bother to look up, pure misery and dejection written on their faces. All had one common element though: they were dirty, and looked starved.

As we approached the fire, I realised where they were leading me: the ring. _Then.... they must want me to fight someone. Celebi, I'm in no condition for that: I can barely stand, much less fight anyone. I haven't slept for days, so I can't count on using any of my psychic abilities ether._

Before I even knew what was happening I was pushed into the circle. Looking wildly around, I got a chance to spot my opponent. I was up against a Machop, in what should be an easy fight for me, given my type advantage. Of course, there was the slight problem of me not being able to use any psychic attacks. _That leaves me with just my physical abilities, up against a Machop of all things..._

The Machop looked pumped, his eyes glittering with anticipation as he looked me up and down, seizing me up in one motion. _Uh oh, this guy knows what he's doing. Wait, how do I even know if this is a guy?_

I waited for him to charge in, arms swinging, for the attack, but none came. _What is he waiting for?  
_

The reason became obvious, when I saw a human walk up to the side of the ring. I could tell instantly that he was this _master_ Valcarus that I'd become the property of. It was in the way he self assuredly walked towards us, his weather beaten face bearing a hardened expression. And his eyes: stained the darkest brown imaginable, showing no flicker of emotion or recognition at the hardship around him. This man was cold, to a point where the Sneasel behind me seemed positively warm.

The man was dressed for hunting: camouflaged trousers tucked into thick boots, dark green tee-shirt, over which he was wearing a long coat. It all looked well looked after, but also well used. He was obviously at home in this environment. He was also armed: a large knife sheaved in one boot, and more telling, a slight bulge at his side. _Great, he's got a gun._

He looked at us once, and then simply said "Begin".

The Machop didn't need a second word.

As soon as the word had left Valcarus's lips, he leapt at me with a growl. _Jeez, this guy isn't playing around. Then again, if I was up against a type advantage, I'd want to get the first hit in too._

I crouched down, into a defensive stance, watching as the biped lunged at me. He went straight for a tackle, which I just managed to leap aside from, wincing at the pain from my abused legs.

The Machop went skidding past, close enough for me to feel the breeze of his passage, as he tried to react to my movement. He kicked up a large cloud of dust as he slid across the ground, his toes searching for purchase in the soil.

As soon as he had stopped he charged at me again. Again, I leapt aside, but this time he followed the movement, stepping across towards me as he let loose with a wild swing, which I barely managed duck. Then, he slid past me once more. _I'm not gonna be able to keep this up forever, and I will tire much more quickly than he will._

As he once again came to a stop, he glared at me with a look of frustration on his face. "You are fast, but me fists are faster". He said, cracking his knuckles to emphasise the point. _Celebi, he really is thick. And he won't tire till either he's beaten me to a bloody pulp, or he's been knocked out. Just my luck._

My only response to his gesture was to bare my teeth in defiance, a move that didn't impress him one bit at all. "Ha, you are scared, me can smell it," he said, "let me fix that for you". The sentence was completed with a fierce grin, a look of anticipation burning in his otherwise dull eyes.

He came at me once more, but this time at a much more measured pace, his eyes never leaving mine as he strode towards me. _Ok, this really isn't good at all_.

I started backing up, running through options in my mind as I fought my natural flight instincts. _If I run Valcarus will probably shoot me, or set that blood-thirsty Sneasel on me. He's already proved that he's faster than me, so that wouldn't end well. So, I've gotta fight this brute, and somehow survive. More than that, I've gotta win. Now, how the hell am I supposed to do that?_

My foot caught on a rock, sprawling me backwards onto my tail with a yell. The Machop, seeing my mistake, leapt at me, the distance between us suddenly closing to nothing. He was close, close enough to see the sweat glittering on his brow.

His foot came swinging down to connect with my head. Or, at least where my head had been a second later.

I desperately threw myself to the side, rolling through the earth in an attempt to evade the attacks, almost blinding myself in the process. The Machop had stumbled when his blow had only managed to connect with thin air, so I had a moment to regain my footing. _All I'm doing is running, but what else can I do? Unless..._

The Machops fist broke that thought, as I ducked under the blow; his arm passing close enough for me to hear the whistle of the wind as it barely missed my head. He went for an upper cut, which I sidestepped, letting loose a punch of my own at his stomach in the process. It was like punching solid rock, the muscles in his abdomen developed to the point where they were like armour. _All that achieved was almost breaking my paw: physical blows are gonna be useless._

It was when he went for a sweeping kick at my feet that I saw my opening. Leaping up, I desperately tried to throw myself onto his back, hoping that I could somehow get him in a choke hold.

For I second, it looked like I was gonna make it, as my body, then feet cleared his head. Then, I felt a rough hand grab my tail, and pain rippled through me as he locked it into a vice-like grip. I felt my body's momentum reverse, as he threw me into the ground, almost wrenching my tail from my spine in the movement.

The collision with the ground forced the breath from my lungs, as I gasped in both pain and need of air, the world spinning around me. My confused mind tried to figure out why the world was suddenly dark around me, until the reason hit me with the force of a tonne of bricks.

The Machops body hammered into mine, as he slammed himself into me, elbow first. I felt ribs crack as the force of the blow pummelled my body, as yet more pain flooded through me. _Celebi, how much of a pounding in one day can I take?_

Then, I felt myself get lifted off the ground, my body limp in the hands of my assailant, all thoughts of resistance gone for the moment. _What.... what is he doing_, I thought weakly, unable to comprehend his actions.

I felt a moment of weightlessness, as my body became airborne. For a second it was almost like I was flying, not stuck in some Celebi-forsaken-hell-hole fighting for my very survival. Then, I felt a sickening sensation in my gut as gravity reasserted its control over me. I felt like I would throw up, if I had had anything left in my stomach that is, as I hurtled back towards the ground.

My body came to a rest just beside the edge of the ring, where I lay, too shattered to do more than groan and weakly struggle on the ground. I could feel him approaching, but couldn't make myself move.

His shadow once again covered me, as he reached me once more. I felt a hand clasp around my skull, and then I was boldly pulled off the ground, dangling limply from his hand. The pressure on my skull increased, as he began to squeeze. _Shit, he's trying to crush my skull,_ I thought in panic, as the pain increased.

As the intolerable pressure grew, I frantically began striking out with all of my limbs, desperately trying to make him release me. The Machop barely even noticed my futile attempts at escape, his face lit up in glee as he watched me struggle.

I grabbed at his fingers with my hands, trying to break his grip, but they might as well have been made of stone. _Celebi.... _The pressure and pain was driving me mad, as my mind began to slip away: darkness claiming my vision. _No! I can't faint!_

In a final desperate move, I threw out my foot in a frantic kick, which connected with soft flesh.

Suddenly, the pressure vanished, as the Machop threw me aside, howling in pain. I managed to roll as I landed, and so came to my feet, to see the Machop clutching at his groin in pain. G_uess he is a male after all._

"Umfgh... I make you pay for that one shorty" he said, breathing deeply. _Ha, he's not unstoppable after al... _The thought trailed away as, inexplicably, he straightened; seeming to just shrug off the pain.

I began to shake, not just from the gruelling punishment I had been through in the last few days, but in fear. Fear. The sight of him shrugging off a blow that would have had me lying in the dust terrified me.

He must have sense this, because he paused to stretch, sending ripples of motion across his body as muscles flexed.

Only one option remand for me: I couldn't fight this guy physically, I have to use my psychic abilities.

Shutting my eyes, I tried to force my mind into the once familiar thought processes I had been trained in, letting go any link to the outside world, even as my body screamed at me for attention.I thought a single word: _focus_, and felt my bedraggled mind respond. Like a drop of water hitting a disturbed pool of water, my mind became clear as that single thought echoed throughout my brain, aligning my thoughts, channelling them into the singleness of mind I required.

I could almost hear my old teacher chanting _"I am clear, I am of one mind. Mind is the master; with the mind all things can be done." _and I my body responded, as I felt energy build.

_I'm soo tired... and it has been far too long. Can I even generate enough psychic potential having been this long since I last meditated or rested? _I felt theses traitorous thoughts at the edge of my mind, trying to steal my concentration away from- "_Show me what you have learnt". I complied, falling into a fighting stance, before beginning the series of moves the Shifu had taught me. As I flowed from stance to stance I felt my mind calm, as I slipped into a state of inner peace. My movements became fluid, my body water, as I began a series of punches and kicks, each blow accompanied by a sharp detonation psychic energy -_

That was when his fist slammed into my chest sending me sprawling, and shattering what I was attempting to do.

"Get on your feet"

The Sneasels rough words shook me from my reverie, and back to cold reality.

I meekly complied, standing, all fight gone from me. Truth be told, I no longer had any energy left to do anything but stand. _I guess this is how it ends then... But what was that? For a moment, I felt something... a snapshot, a vision perhaps? _

I followed the Sneasel, as he led me towards the edge of the camp, where I knew he was going to kill me. _What other use do you have for a Abra that can't fight? _Each step was a step closer to my doom, but there was nothing I could do about it.

Then he was roughly shoving me to the ground, as he stood over me, arm raised and claws extended.

"I'm sorry" He said, with a look of regret. _What?_ His arm dropped bringing my death-

An explosion from behind sent us flying, my body cart wheeling in the shockwave, until I felt myself hit something solid. It was the final push that sent my mind into oblivion as I sank into unconsciousness, my body hurtling towards the ground.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

_Beep...........Beep...........Beep...........Beep..........._

"_..y God! Get over here! Found anot..." _

_Swinging... noises all around me... flashes of green... faces pairing down at me... the sky is wheeling... _

"_...hat happened to him?" "Not sure yet, the police just bought him in, something about a poaching ring and a raid..."_

_A siren wailing in the distance.... so tired... shaking.... _

"_... out of the way! This one is in...."_

_I wanted to cover my head, somehow block out the sounds, but my body wouldn't move.... Why can't I move?_

"_...im?" "What's the diagnosis?" "Fractured femur, 4 fractured ribs, tail snapped in 3 places, compound fracture..."_

"_...way that he could have survi..."_

_Dull pain in my side.... a soft moan.... was that me?_

" _..at? Shit, he's still alive. Get me an adren..."_

_Beep......................Beep................................ Beep.................................Be-_

"_...ing into cardiac arr...." "...e defribl....."_

_Purple in the distance fading.... important? Why is everything so.... hazy?_

"_There will come a time when you will face much danger and I will not be there to guide you. You must take this path by yourself, without me. I have shown you everything I can, and it pains me that I cannot do more. Remember though, the dawn always comes. Always. Remember that, young one, remember...."_

_Wait! Come back... Who are you? Who..._

OoOoOoOoOoOoooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Consciousness crept upon me like a shadow, pushing aside the peaceful void of sleep. Slowly I forced my heavy eyelids open, struggling to make sense of the swirling colours. Gradually, images formed out of the chaotic swirl of light as my surrounds slowly came into focus: pristine white tiles bled into a soft red ceiling, from which garish harsh fluorescent lights burned.

_Where am I? _I tried to move my head, so sit up, but my body felt like lead. _So tired..._

All strength gone, I sank back to the bed, darkness rising to catch me like a warm wave as consciousness fled.

_Where am I? How long have I been here? Is it hours, days, or even weeks? _Nothing made sense... only the gentle rocking or something-I awoke with a start, startling the human leaning close to check something. It had been holding a metallic instrument of some sort in one hand, a clipboard in the other which it dropped with a gasp as it leapt back, the board clattering dully as it collided with the floor.

The human –female I assumed based on her appearance, though you can never really tell with them- was dressed in pure white as clean as the walls around her, the red crosses adorning her hat standing out in strong contrast to the rest of her monochromatic apparel. She looked down at me with an expression that could have been concern, reaching out as if to touch me with her now free hand.

"Abra..." I said weakly, trying to shrink back from her touch, my head spinning. _Celebi no, don't touch me, just leave me alone._ It wasn't what I had meant to say, I wasn't sure if it was even words -or if humans can understand a real language- but it worked.

The human -called a nurse I would later find out- withdrew her hand, instead placing a sole finger on her lips."Shh, rest. You are safe." She said, sounding out the words like I was a child. _Great, she thinks I'm some common Ratatta that's lost the way to its garbage can._

I tried to speak, only managing a weak 'ab' before dreamless sleep once again claimed me.

When the grip of sleep released me again night had fallen; silvery rays of moonlight breaking through long drapes of material replaced the glaring fluorescent bulbs from before, casting long shadows across the room. I lay there for a few minutes only half aware that I was conscious, listening to the low hum of some unseen machine working quietly somewhere in the room._ Is this a dream_? I groaned softly, pushing against the bed-pausing when something resisted. Groping blindly, my hand touched something-a hard plastic tube connected to my arm, causing me to snatch it back as if burnt. 'What the hell?' my voice echoed hollowly thought the room.

As my eyes became accustomed to the low light, my surroundings slowly came into focus. I was lying on a human style bed, in what to all appearances was the same room. _But then again, how can I tell? I've heard about these places: they are all supposed to look the same. I could be in another region for all I know. _From my arm two clear tubes emerged, running up to the shadows above me. The tubes terminated in two evil looking needles that were buried deep within my flesh. _What have they been doing to me?_

I pulled at the tubes, heedless of the pain it caused; getting them out and ending whatever the humans had been feeding into my veins mattered far more. The needles moved slowly, as if unwilling to release their hold. After what felt like an eternity the tips emerged, trailing a translucent mixture of blood and some clear liquid. I stared at the glistening tips, shuddering inwardly from pain and fear before flinging them into the darkness, hearing them land with a soft clink.

With effort I reached for the metal railing, trying to will my weary body over the edge... stopping when my vision began to blur. Instead, I collapsed back onto the bed with a wheezing sigh, waiting for the world to come back into focus_. So weak... Celebi, I've been through too much lately..._

I only intended to rest till my strength came back, but as I lay back, sleep overtook my body, this time dragging me into an all too familiar dream.

_Snatches of movement on all sides, the silhouettes of unseen foes illuminated by brief stabs of light from the tortured sky above. __They stood surrounding me, numberless like the waves readying to crash upon a battered coast. A Sneasel emerged from the crowd, claws flexing menacingly. His face twisted into a snarl of hatred as he fixed a bloodthirsty glare at me-in a flash he leapt, claws glinting briefly in the dim light._

_Time seemed to slow as the razor sharp claws filled my vision, the bone white blades almost singing as they whistled toward what their master thought another slain enemy. At the last second I threw all my weight backwards, twisting to the side and away from the blow. A look of surprise crossed the Sneasels face as his killing stroke was rendered harmless, the momentum of such a wild swing sending him stumbling forward. Without hesitation I countered, a brief look of fear shining in the now helpless dark type's eyes as my arm sped toward his unprotected back. Wreathed in pulsing green energy, the sound of bone snapping mixed with the sharp crack of the attack detonating as the blow slammed into his back. The would-be killer cried out in pain, falling to join the fallen bodies littering the ground._

_Rolling with the momentum, I spun with the blow and fell into my usual guarded stance, ignoring the new addition to the dead. The crowed flinched back, shaken by the near instantaneous demise of one of their fighters, giving me a few blessed moments to catch my breath. As I stood there, struggling to hide the weariness seeping over me like a cold blanket. _Just give up and die, it'll be over faster that way_ a voice purred, bringing with it another wave of exhaustion, the horde mustering up their courage for yet another attack._

How many have fallen before me by now? Ten, twenty, one hundred? Does it even matter?_ The numbers arrayed against me are beyond counting, an unstoppable force that will wear me down, and grind me into the dust by sheer weight of numbers. Yet still I held my ground. I have to hold on. I needed to give him that much._

_They rushed together, a heavily scarred Zangoose leading the mad charge; obviously they assumed that I would be unable to fight more than one enemy at a time: a fatal mistake. Drawing once more upon the dwindling reserves of energy in my body, I allowed a brief, cold smile to cross my features as I bent the flow of energy, willing myself to shift spatial locations. A momentary sense of dislocation overtook me, as for a split-second the images of two separate locations were overlaid, before snapping into a single image-directly behind the foremost attacker._

_In one fluid motion I changed the flow again, charging a blast of psychic energy and leaping onto the still running Zangoose, picking up momentum as I ran across his broad back. Upon reaching the normal types thick neck I leapt, using the tensed mass of muscle as a springboard, twisting around in midair and releasing the pent up attack. Blood, fragments of bone, and other unidentifiable matter flew outward from the impact, the blast giving me the extra momentum to hurdle toward a group of Houndoom who had only moments before been trying to sneak up behind me. The last I saw of the ferret was a headless body taking a blind step-its last- before collapsing, staining the ground crimson._

_The lead canine had no time to react, a look of dumb realization just dawning as my feet planted firmly onto its nose, smashing it-and its owner-to the ground even as I leapt off my momentary perch. Though no telltale crack followed, a blow like that surely dislocated its jaw, if not something worse judging by the startled yelp of pain that followed the motion. Ignoring the canine I braced for a rough landing, rolling with the momentum and zeroing in on the nearest enemy: a Weavile, head and shoulders taller than the fool who charged _alone.

This one's got more than bone in its skull!_ The dark weasel saw me coming, throwing himself forward much like the fool Sneasel before. I stepped into the attack, bring a fist sharply down on the Weavile's extended arm, being met with a satisfying crack as the joint snapped. Not waiting for the pain to register, I grabbed the injured arm, driving my shoulder into his ribcage and sending the wounded weasel stumbling into a Hitmonchan._

_The fighting type dodged my little care package, hardly blinking as the weasel flew by, throwing a quick jab as he closed the distance. Feigning a dodge, I elected to teleport directly behind him, leaving the deadly blow to connect only with thin air. Again, not waiting for a retaliation I delivered a sharp backhand blow to his head, sheathing my arm in writhing psychic energy; the attack knocked the fighting type flat like someone had swept his legs out from under him, as he landing with a heavy thud. He didn't get up. Momentarily without an opponent, I dropped back into a guard stance, fighting back tears as my body screamed for me to stop._

_The mob flinched, stopping their charge; the now still fighting type must have been a prized fighter in their ranks to create such a reaction. The remaining Pokemon began to retreat, giving me a chance to catch my breath and fight off a fresh wave of pain. Despite it all I found myself smirking at the growing panic in a once confident horde now trembled like a Poochyena beaten with a stick._ Cowards, preying on those they see as weak and relying on numbers; it serves them right to feel the true sting of defeat.

_As the mass of cowards moved on with increasing speed, something caught my eye. A group moved forward, swaggering with a confidence that was either from skill, or still outnumbering one they saw as weak- probably due to their type advantage- and judging by the fleeing group, favour fell to the latter. Narrowing my eyes, I took a quick count: two Shiftry stood in front of the rest, arms folded across their chest. Behind them was a quartet of Nuzleaf, their lesser evolution but no less dangerous in numbers. Next was a Weavile-a female judging by the sadistic smirk, and flexing claws, and a smaller Sneasel. _

_"You're far from home little Abra, and with nobody to hold your hand." The taller Shiftry said, drawing out the final words to emphasise the mockery. "Where's your mummy and daddy, they must be worried about their poor liddle abby-kins. Or were they the two that begged for mercy a few days ago, crying out to be our slaves rather than die like the cowards they were." The other Shiftry said, moving next to his evolutionary partner and making the most undignified face. _They just get dumber by the kill.

_The others let out a brief snarl of laughter at their leaders goading, which I elected to ignore; it was far more important to study my opponent, than rise to such crude bait. Like any bully leader, the taller Shiftry's upper body bore several dark scars, culminating in a vivid slash that dissected one side of his face, ending just below his nose. _A fighter it would seem, and possibly a challenge if that mouth is anything to go on.

_"I give you three seconds" I said, resuming my stance._

"Ha, you hear that? The little whelp thinks he's tough." He retorted, spreading his arms wide in mock fear. "You want to dance with me, tough guy? I'll even count to three for you. One, two, thr-"

_He never had a chance to finish. In the blink of an eye I closed the distance between us, zeroing in on his exposed body and gathering what was left of my energy for another teleport. All at once, his taunting voice ended in a dull wheeze, eyes bulging like sickly yellow marbles as my elbow slammed into his stomach, silencing him. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed one of his arms with my free hand, fighting back the revulsion as his dark aura bit into my own psychic one, leaving my skin tingling._

_Forcing through the sickening aura, I jumped into the air and releasing the pent up energy as I took flight. Suddenly, we were fifteen feet off the ground and still flying upwards, not that the Shiftry had noticed. As he started into a coughing fit, I rolled my body in the air, throwing his barely struggling form back to the ground with considerable force, vanishing and reappearing just as his body left a sizable crater. After delivering a swift kick to his head for good measure, I turned back to the rest of his mob, glaring at the other Shiftry. The wily Pokémon gaped for a second, before bellowing out a primal war cry and charging, flanked by the rest of the still stout lackeys. _

_"You think the odds are for you? Fine." I said, launching myself with a snarl._

_Seeing me coming, the Shiftry threw a sucker punch, hoping to catch me flat footed and at a type disadvantage. However, rather than fight directly I dropped to the ground and slid between his open legs, resisting the urge to attack due to the obvious repercussions. Once clear I launched myself into the Nuzleaf behind him, catching it completely by surprise. My head smashed it directly under the chin, silencing the strange dark type, landing on his falling body and riding it to the ground on all fours._

_A tiny disturbance in the air-and lightning fast instincts-was the only thing that saved me from death. Frantically, I threw myself to the ground, narrowly dodging a razor sharp leaf as it sliced through the air. Wheeling on all fours, I turned to face the cowardly attacker, locking eyes with a stunned Nuzleaf, its arm still extended from the last attack. The well aimed attack had hit its mark; a second Nuzleaf stood like a statue, a second leaf sprouting from between its eyes. Using the momentary shock to my advantage, I righted myself and charged, ducking rather than face decapitation from the second blade. The leaf whistled through the air, passing close enough that I could feel the wind brush my ears before embedding itself within the slain grass type._

_As the Nuzleaf muttered something in its own strange tongue, I caught a snarl coming from behind. Half turning at the sound, I soon found myself howling in pain as a set of needle-like claws tore into my back. As beads of blood flowed from the wound I spun around, forcing myself to ignore the lancing pain and preparing to return it twicefold. Grabbing the arm of my unseen assailant and twisting, I was rewarded with a high pitched shriek as I felt muscle and sinew tear-which combined with the poisonous aura left my ears ringing. The Sneasel who had snuck up twisted its damaged arm, crying out a deathsong through its pain as it lashed out with the other paw; a simple thing to counter. I spun the weasel around, releasing its shattered paw and ducking, flinging it into the path of an incoming razor-leaf. With eyes wide open in shock, the ice type fell with a final whimper, the shuriken-like leaf buried deep in its skull._

_He slumped to the ground, blood blossoming from where the razor leaf tore into its skin. Howling out a war cry the Weavile charged, launching a furious assault that forced me back. I struggled to defend myself--vanishing only moments before the remaining Shiftry swung wildly, smashing the Weavile hard enough to send it flying backwards. As gravity pulled me downward I teleported again, this time appearing directly above the careless Nuzleaf, grinning inwardly as the satisfying crunch of my knee connecting with its skull rang out over the chaos. _

_I turned to face the remaining horde, noting their lack of confidence from seeing their number reduced so easily. "You still want to fight?" I called mockingly to the Shiftry, falling into one of my fighting stances. The Dark type glanced back at the growing circle of Pokémon.__  
__  
"Kill him!" He screamed. The group hesitated for a moment, before breaking into a haphazard charge. _Fine then, come to the gates of death_._

_"Små, I can't h-" A voice rang in my head, drowned out by a massive explosion, the resulting shockwave knocking me to the ground. Like a clap of thunder the concussive burst roared, pounding into my skull like a drum. The Pokémon around me were far less fortunate; most were lying stunned on the ground, a tangle of limbs and crumpled bodies all dripping blood from their ears and mouths._

_A feeling of dread washed over me as I rose, struggling to remain upright, and turned toward where the explosion came from. A massive cloud of dust rose above the battlefield, turning the sun blood red. Dark shapes moved within the choking haze, though through it I could feel a power expanding about one of them; his presence masked by a chaotic cloud of pulsing energy, like a bubble of raw psychic energy torn by shards of pure darkness. I felt like retching as the terrible miasma expanded, washing over everything it touched and leaving a growing sense of nausea pounding into my mind. My heart felt like it had jumped into my throat, as I realized the constant pull of my masters' presence was being cut by that terrible intent-a life-force slipping away._

Yet, into that terrible void I must go, for that is where my master is. He needs me now more than ever, but how can I stand against something like that? _It_ _was a rhetorical question and the answer irrelevant; I knew that it must be done, no matter what the odds are; I must act now._

_I tried to gather my energy together and teleport, but it was like trying to push through a wall of fire. The virulent energy burned like fire, a sickness beyond any I had felt before seemingly seeping into my very soul as my mind shrieked for it to end. _I guess it's the hard way...

_Panting with the effort of trying to teleport, I broke into a run, shaping the energy into balls of raw power in my hands. I could see about a dozen Pokémon between me and the swirling wall that marked my goal. _If you can't go through them,_ I thought, gritting my teeth _you go through them!

_Just as I reached the first Pokémon blocking my way, I threw my arm back, mustering the strongest attack my weary body could create._

Pain lanced up my arm, snapping me back to reality with a crash of flying ceramic and plaster. Somehow I had managed to embed my arm up to the wrist in the wall, shattering tile and drywall with ease. My fist had struck with such force that a spiderweb of cracks splintered through the surrounding tiles and deep into the plaster base.

Without thinking I ripped my arm free of the walls clutches, grimacing in pain as the jagged tiles tore into my flesh, tearing them free as I spun to face my attackers. _What!? Where did they go? Is this some sort of trick!?_ My mind raced as I staggered backwards, slamming into the damaged wall and struggling to see through the gloom, trying to understand how a group that large could vanish in an instant. My fur stood on end against the clammy tiles, body tensed in preparation; my heart hammered as it was about to burst, adrenaline surging as I stood there, expecting an attack at any moment

Pulse throbbing in my ears, I began to pick up other faint sounds; an odd humming seemed to come from all around at once, a distant subsiding cough. _What in Arceus-oh no..._ I took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm my racing heard as I lowered both arms from their defensive guard. _Just a dream... a nightmare..._

I collapsed against the wall, slumping down the cold surface as I slowly began to calm down. _Just a dream, it isn't real... it can't be real..._ I thought over and over, trying to shake the oppressive feeing of dread that shrouded my thoughts. _It can't be real._

_I'm shaking... _Huddled in a corner of the room I couldn't do anything to stop it, only curl into a fetal position as deep shudders wracked my body. _What is wrong with me? I've spent the last five years of my life running from the same dream, yet I don't know why it scares me. All I know is that something terrible awaits at the end-I know that for certain, even if it is inherently illogical_.

All psychic types pride themselves on logic: it's what separates us from the common 'mon, or so the elders taught. "Celebi turned to the people, and seeing their need he descended upon them and gifted them with rational thought, so that they could walk the path to enlightenment" and other such rubbish. I never bothered paying much attention to them: the elders were always spouting some nonsense about clarity of mind, or purity of thought-utter nonsense from 'mon with inflated egos. Like Celebi gives a Rattata's arse about what happens to us mortals.

But, what has been plaguing me for years now... it's something that can't be rationalized, no matter how many times I try to face it. Something compels me to run, to flee from whatever dreaded thing awaits. Every time, there's an overwhelming fear that wells up when even a stray thought about that dream comes to me, which has driven me to the brink... living like a simple Meowth, worrying only about my next meal, or avoiding predators. Not once thinking, lest it return.

The constant hum was soothing, like the Yanma from the days of old flitting across the sky... from days gone, now just another memory among the fleeting images, lost in the shifting barriers of reality and fantasy I was reduced to. Only the cold tile against my fur kept me from falling asleep. That, and fear of what demons lay in wait should I enter their realm again this night. _Or any night... _


End file.
